Pruning Little Lime hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Jane’) is crucial for controlling the size and shape of the shrub, encouraging more flowers, and keeping the plant healthy by removing diseased, damaged, or dead stems. These dwarf versions of the popular Limelight hydrangea are best grown in well-drained soil and full-to-part sun. Deadheading can also encourage a second showing of the plant.
Little Lime hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so pruning in late winter or early spring before new growth begins is recommended. Deadheading can also encourage a second showing of the plant. The ideal growing site is well-drained soil and full-to-part sun, with full sun in the morning and part shade in the afternoon. The only pruning required is to remove dead wood, which provides a trim to encourage new growth and abundant buds.
Limelights should be pruned in late winter before they have any new growth, with the best time being after blooming. Shortening the main stems helps the plant grow strong stems. Limelight hydrangeas can be cut back in the fall, but the timing depends on the plant’s hardiness zone.
📹 How to prune Little Lime hydrangeas
Time to prune the Little Lime hydrangeas! Little Lime is a dwarf version of the popular Limelight hydrangea (both by Proven …
📹 How to Prune Little Lime Hydrangeas (Easy Step By Step)
Today I’m pruning Little Lime Hydrangeas, which are a bit different than Limelight Hydrangeas. In this video I’ll explain those …
I’m curious about the long, straight branch that came right up through the middle of the first bush you pruned. You pruned the branch for height, but left it on the plant. When you moved to the second bush later in the article, you showed a couple of branches that you had missed last year and they were calloused because they had rubbed against other branches. I believe you cut them out. I would have thought you would cut out the branch on the first bush growing straight through the bush; the way it grows straight up from the base virtually guarantees it will rub other branches. So, my question is: To cut, or not to cut? I work at a garden center and see the tendency of many of these bushes to produces branches that grow up through the plant. I’d prefer to remove them before the plants puts energy into making them big and thick, unless there’s good reason not to.
brava brava brava, complimenti per le tue piante e la tua esperienza. Ho iniziato la scorsa primavera a creare un giardino di ortensie rododendri ed azalee nel mio vecchissimo castagneto e le persone con la tua esperienza sono il mio faro. Molte grazie. Stefano da Italia, Monte Amiata, Santa Fiora 💚
I am so glad I found your website!! I have watched all your limelight articles and they are very helpful. However, I have 3 beautiful little limes that I planted last year and they have big beautiful heavy cone shaped flower heads like their big brother, the problem… they are all laying on the ground after the rain and don’t pop back up from their weight.I have tried gently shaking the stems, this helps a little. I have also taken some stems from the bottom of the hydrangea. Help!!! To trim or not to trim!!!
Great article. I have a 6 yo little limelight that has lost some center branches and only has 6 live stems that stretch out to periphery. I have yet to see any new growth from base of plant. I did prune the tree that was shading it so hoping this year it does better. I am hoping I don’t have to replace it with a new one. Any ideas to try and encourage growth from base or is it a lost cause after 6 years in zone 5a? Thanks!
Hi! I live in zone 6 and have a little Lime Hydrangea. My Hydrangea is doing well, actually it is larger than I thought it would get, so I will need to prune it more in late winter. However, my dilemma now is after a rain a week or so ago my Hydrangea is now drooping terribly. I’d like to attach a photo but was unable to do so. My question is can I prune the drooping branches now?
I’m back with a new dilemma! Lol. My little limes are growing taller and seem to have sturdier branches this year (YAY!) however there are not many buds on them this year as there were last year at this time. I used plant tone slow release fertilizer in the spring but am thinking maybe I need one with more phos? Do you think I can fertilize again now with higher phos to get them to bud or is it too late and just wait until next spring?
I am in SE Michigan and still haven’t planted my limelight hydrangea I got in late summer. I don’t know where she will be happiest. Will she weather the winter if I keep her in her original pot, down in the perennial patch below my porch railing (watering her once a month if not covered in snow ). Thanks, I love your articles. 😊
Just had a storm here in Indianapolis last week,,& one of my standard limelight hydrangea was damaged I also think it really got to much water, well a few of the flower heads blew off & one of the branches snapped off I cut it off to where it split.. will it come back next year ? I prune late spring. I have 2 they were so full & beautiful this year I had them planted last year august they were already bloomed . So this was my 1st yr. I hope it’s not ruined…Help!
Thank you so much!! There aren’t a lot of good article’s out there explaining everything you have. We had landscaping done 4 years ago and I told them I have NO experience and don’t intend on having any with gardens so put in easy to care for stuff. They didn’t tell me how to prune anything and ended up putting in whatever they wanted. I am slowly getting the hang of it but these one were the trickiest to me. Now I can go outside and confidently prune my Little Lime. 😀
My Little Lime was a flop! A big flipping flop! I ended up hard pruning her right after she bloomed last year to give it time to grow more sturdy stems and then gave her a light trim this Spring. The stems look much stronger now… I ended up with a load of hydrangeas in vases and made a few wreaths so all was not lost. I’m looking forward to seeing the beautiful show all of my hydrangeas will put on this year. Great detailed article, Laura!